The Day The Music Died
by IamLonnieincarnate
Summary: Takes place a couple of years after college. Maria and Michael have just had a bloody break-up and Maria commits suicide. PG-13 for subject matter & slight cussing.
1. The pain stops

Maria was sobbing over her recent break-up with Michael. She thought back to his last words he had said to her.  
  
"I don't know what I ever saw in you. Get out of my apartment. NOW."  
  
She had gotten out of his apartment and had been able to wait until she had gotten to the car before she broke down in sobs. Now at home she thought about the fight. It was different then the other fights they'd had in the past. This one actually had..venom, poison in it. Poison for her soul. She knew Michael would never come back to her. He was now to busy and involved in trying to find out where they came from and how to get back. Maria wanted desperately to call her best friend Liz or even Tess or Isabel. But Liz was on vacation with her husband Max and not due back for a couple more days. Isabel and Alex were desperately trying to get ready for their wedding that was in 3 weeks and counting. Tess hadn't been seen or heard from in a couple months. Though Alex and Isabel had gotten a response that she would indeed be at the wedding. More tears coursed down Maria's face as she thought about Liz and Max's fairy tale relationship. Why couldn't Michael and my relationship be like that? Maria thought. But she knew the answer already without searching for it. They were both afraid of commitment. Maria because of her Dad leaving her and Michael because of his step-Dad Hank. Maria had desperate to make the relationship work. She had tried to change. To make him happy. To make him love her. But it hadn't work. Non of it had. She was abandoned once more by the person she loved the most. The pain building up inside her crested and she screamed as she threw pillows, blankets and anything else she could get her hands on. When her torrent of throwing and pounding things exhausted her she slid to the floor unable to make herself move.  
  
Liz and Max had come home early because Max had the feeling that if they didn't Alex wouldn't be alive for the wedding. They had arrived home late last night and they had unpacked and fallen asleep. This morning Max had gone off to help with the wedding plans. Liz smiled to herself as she thought of Maria's face when she saw that her friend was home and showing her pregnancy quite well. Liz patted her stomach self-consciously and she quickly finished getting dressed. She grabbed a piece of toast and ate it as she was putting on her shoes. She grabbed her car keys and headed towards her friend Maria's house humming under her breath. She pulled in to the driveway of Maria's house that her mother had given her right after Amy and Jim had gotten married. Liz couldn't help but smile at the thought of Jim and Amy's wedding. It had been a fun one. Liz herself had caught the bouquet of flowers and the saying was true. She was the next to get married. Liz climbed out of the car and her smile faded a little. Maria was usually up at this time. Maybe she's sleeping in or staying at Mike's Liz continued up the walk and peeked through the front window. She saw Maria slumped on the floor in the middle of the living room. The place looked like a hurricane had come through it. I guess Hurricane DeLuca's back Liz thought to herself smiling slightly. Then she stopped smiling figuring out that Hurricane DeLuca would only come out if they had had another fight again. Poor Maria. She doesn't look like she's doing well.Liz pulled out her keyring and looked through them trying to find the key to Maria's house. She finally found it and put it in the door. She turned the key in the lock and unlocked the door. She quietly opened the door and walked in as quietly as possible. She figured she could at least start cleaning up the place for her friend. She went into the kitchen and started a pot of coffee and made sure there was double chocolate ice cream in the freezer before she went back into the living room. She picked up all the blankets she could find and folded them. She started picking up pillows and as she walked closer to Maria to pick up the last pillow besides the one Maria clenched she saw the rust colored stain on the carpet. Liz reached out and touched it drawing back as she realized it was blood. Her heart dropped to her feet and she backpedaled away from Maria, her best friend. She stared in shock and disbelief as she took in the bloodstains on the floor and pillow Maria clutched. Then she saw the bloodied razor next to Maria on the carpet twinkling evilly at her. Liz then got her breath back and she started screaming like she had never screamed before. She slid down to the floor a little ways away from Maria. She pulled out her cell phone with trembling hands and dialed the number she knew by heart. Max's cell phone. She knew he was with Isabel and Alex and she hated having to break the news this way but she couldn't face them.not now.not like this.  
  
"Hello?" Max asked. Liz was startled from her thinking and almost dropped the phone to the floor but she tightened her grip on it and answered Max as best she could.  
  
"Hi."  
  
"Liz? What's the matter?" Max asked concerned for her.  
  
"Maria..Maria's.Maria's dead." The phone line was silent. Max had turned white and was trying to cope with it. Smiling, laughing Maria was gone. No more. How could it have happened?  
  
"What.. happened?" Max finally asked  
  
"She slit her wrist with a razor" Liz said. She was beginning to feel like all this was a dream. That everything was distant and safe. Nothing real and dangerous had happened to Maria. She was still safe and laughing somewhere. Max was talking to her still somewhere distant, through the haze she heard him ask if she was okay. She made some noise that sounded like a whine to her but she heard Max say something else then the line went dead. Liz closed the phone and wept. When the tears had stopped falling and she felt she could handle humanity again she opened her phone again and dialed the police. Letting them know of Maria's suicide.  
  
Max had turned white and everyone in the Crashdown had gotten silent. Max never turned white..  
  
"What happened?"  
  
Then the group started paying more attention. Something had happened to Maria. They could gather that from Max's questions. As soon as Max hung up the phone he turned around to find four faces staring at him. Max sat down heavily on a barstool and put his head down and wept. Everyone stood there shifting from side to side wanting to know what happened but wanting to give Max his space. As Max's tears decreased and his head came up tear streaked he announced in a somewhat choked voice.  
  
"Maria killed herself this morning or last night. I.I couldn't ask Liz.she was too broken up."  
  
Maria how could you do this to us? Max asked himself then thought about it and turned towards Michael to see how he reacted.  
  
Michael stood there as if he hadn't heard the words coming from Max and then the world seemed to stand still to him. His singing bird, his life, had died. They'd had a fight and he had been angry at her for once again interrupting his work on finding out what he was. They had fought but he had never expected her to kill herself! It wasn't possible, yet..Liz and Max wouldn't lie like that. About that. He knew them. Sorrow welled up inside of him and he sat down in a booth. He put his head down and cried a little and then slid out and left the Crashdown and all the staring faces and went out into the desert..his always there comforter, the desert. He'd come here when Hank had beaten him, when Maria and him had first fought, and now he came here to mourn her passing. He screamed his pain and anger into the sky until his throat was raw. He stumbled over to the rock he had always gone to and laid down on it. Sobbing his heart out.  
  
Alex had already been sitting but when the news hit him it felt as though he were still standing. He needed support.a place to steady himself on. He looked around desperately and couldn't find one. Michael sat down across from him oblivious to him or anyone else for that matter as he put his head down and cried. Alex took his note from him and tears started down his face. He couldn't help it. His first best friend. His favorite lead singer of his band would never be able to fill in for Gwen anymore. He knew she loved to sing and had been trying to set her up with the same agent his band had. He had almost completed the work. Now it wouldn't matter and he cried all that much harder for what he lost and what she had lost.  
  
Isabel went over and tried to comfort Alex. He was her best friend before they had even met. She couldn't believe that the girl she scared by changing the radio with her powers, the girl that she had subbed for at the Crashdown, the girl that wanted to be what Michael wanted of her. To make him love her. Isabel got angry with Maria for giving up but she got even angrier with Michael. She was sure he was what caused her to do that. She gave Alex a hug then went and got drinks for everyone. While she was getting the drinks she couldn't stop the tears. They had never been real friends but she was still someone she would miss. Why am I crying? I barely knew her.I never took the TIME to get to know her. Isabel felt lost. She always took Maria for granted and now she wasn't there. Her grief wasn't the same as the others..the ones that KNEW Maria. Isabel had always kept her at arm's length. I don't belong here. I shouldn't be here intruding on their grieving. I never knew her.Isabel took a deep breath and walked out with the drinks placing them in front of people.  
  
"Is anyone hungry? I can go pick something up." Isabel asked. Trying to keep her mind off of Maria. She had decided that even if they said no she would still go. Leave them to their grief. Their pain. Their sorrow..  
  
Max had taken it upon himself to tell Maria's parents. He would have told Tess and Kyle to but he didn't know how to contact them. Maybe they would. Max took a deep breath and stepped out of his car. He walked up the walkway slowly and knocked on the door. Amy Valenti opened the door and smiled at Max until she noticed Max's tearstained face.  
  
"Is Sheriff here to?' Amy nodded her head and lead Max into the living room where Sheriff sat reading the paper. Amy sat down next to her husband and unconsciously took his hand. Max nervously cleared his throat and began his voice cracking slightly with emotion.  
  
"I'm really sorry to tell you this.but Liz found Maria this morning dead. She committed suicide."  
  
Max saw Amy start to tear up and Sheriff stiffening up when he decided to take his leave. He walked out of the house and into his car before he let the tears come out again.  
  
Amy couldn't, didn't want to believe what Max said. Her only daughter dead. By her own hand. Not even a traffic accident or something. She wanted to scream, she wanted to cry, and she wanted to run all at the same time. Jim enfolded her in a hug as best he could and held her as she cried. When her tears dried up he led her to the bathroom and started the bath.  
  
"Take a bath, it'll make you relax and help you sleep." Jim said leaving the room closing the door quietly behind him.  
  
As Amy was in the bathroom Jim let the un-cried tears silently slid down his face. He had to be strong for Amy. He sat down on their bed and ran his hand through his thinning hair and cried thinking back to all the memories he had of the smiling Pixie. He thought of the days where she would run through his office as fast as she could with Kyle chasing her and how she always out ran him. He thought of her working in the Crashdown. He thought of her at their wedding and how she had smiled through the whole wedding. Then he started thinking about her fights with Michael and he made himself stop thinking of the memories. Concentrate on being strong for Amy.  
  
Author's Note: This is my first Fan Fic ever. So PLEEZ send your opinions but be gentle. I break easy. Thanx to Dharma, Roxy, Lolli, & even Spaz who had to try and reach his feminine side for this one. Love all you guys! Sorry.I had to add that. So keep this in mind. Feedback equals more chapters. Tell me if it's worth continuing. 


	2. A quiet affair

The funeral was a quiet affair. Broken only by the priest saying the liturgy for the funeral and the faint sniffling in the church. Tess had come out of her hiding place and Kyle came down a few days early to be at the funeral. Both were upset that a member of their group had died.especially by their own hand.  
  
One by one friends and family got up to talk about Maria and their memories or thoughts on the girl that no one would ever see again.  
  
Amy was the first to talk about Maria; the daughter she'd loved her whole life. The daughter she had tried to mold into a better person then her mother was. She felt like she had failed miserably.  
  
"We were never close.we were too different she said.she always knew that.whatever she did and whatever she said.that I still loved her and always would. She was loved by me and by her friends."  
  
Amy had been trying to hold back her tears and as she started to continue her grief overcame her and she started to sob. Liz had been waiting to speak and took Amy's elbow and helped her down the steps and back to her seat next to Jim. Jim took her from there and tried his best to comfort his upset wife. Liz then turned and went back up the stairs after making sure she was going to be okay.  
  
"We'd always been best friends.sisters really. Ever since we were little we'd been like that. Running rampid through the Crashdown. Later during high school we worked at the Crashdown as waitresses. We were there for each other during our first heartbreak, our first crush.for a lot of things. She was never a perfect person. No one ever is. She tried to make everyone like her if not loves her."  
  
Liz continued to talk about her departed friend trying to hold back her tears until she had sat back down with her husband. Finally she finished her speech and climbed down the stairs after pausing to get a hug from Alex. She trudged slowly down the aisle back to her husband and started to sob quietly in his arms.  
  
"Are you going to be alright?" Max asked quietly  
  
Liz just shook her head no and continued to sob. Max kissed the top of her head and reached into his pocket to get his package of Kleenex out. He handed her the crumpled pack and she took it from him with trembling hands.  
  
".and Liz. We made up the Three Musketeers of Roswell. Always running this way and that way doing something. Though our intentions weren't always good ones," Alex said winking cheekily. He continued, "High school for us changed us.but we remained friends.always. Even though our group changed we never stopped being close.you know.when I was little I always figured I'd marry either Liz or Maria. Apparently that little daydream won't come soon. I'm marrying the girl of my dreams Isabel and Liz married the man of her dreams. Everyone always assumed Maria would marry Michael. Guess everyone's dreams were wrong.."  
  
Alex continued his remembrance of Maria as Isabel watched from the back of the church. I don't have ANY of these memories.or my own private ones to share. What am I doing here? Then the voice in her head answered her. She was here for Alex. To give him someone to lean on when he needed it. She knew when all was said and done he'd still be crying. For his memories of Maria. Of the lost potential she had.for everything she was and was to become. They had already moved the date of the wedding to a month later then the date scheduled. The church was gracious enough to accept the change of date with no fee. They would have paid the fee if there had been. It just felt wrong to have a happy occasion so close to the death of a loved one. Everyone involved and invited had been made aware of the changes to the wedding but somehow it didn't seem like enough to honor the death of Maria Isabel thought. Isabel let her eyes travel around the church taking in those that were crying inside and out and she began to angry. Angry with Maria for killing herself and make all her friends and family suffer. But mostly she was angry at whoever made Maria kill herself. That made life not worth living for and made Isabel feel helpless. A feeling she didn't like. No matter what had caused it.  
  
".I will always miss her laughter and smile. But the thing I regret the most is that the world can't hear her voice. Her singing will have to live in us," Alex said finishing off his speech. He climbed down the stairs and headed towards his seat as Jim started up the stairs. As Alex settled in next to Isabel Jim began.  
  
"I never knew her as well as a lot of you did.but I loved her the same as if she was my own flesh and blood. I grew up with that Pixie tearing up my office chasing after Kyle after he'd tugged her pigtail."  
  
Alex had started to cry as the memories once again surfaced to the top. Isabel wrapped her arms around him and together they let Jim's words wash over them.  
  
".she was always trying to be a better person to.well.love everyone."  
  
Max squeezed Liz's hand and smiled at her. He was still crying slightly but he was becoming resolved. To find and figure out what made Maria do it and make them pay. It was hurting their group in more then one way.  
  
Liz leaned on her husband and let her tears flow. What could make Maria do it? she asked herself for the hundredth time What was it she couldn't have talked to me or Tess or Alex about? Liz's tears started flowing faster and harder then before. She sniffled slightly and gratefully took the pack of Kleenex Max handed her. Liz looked up from Max's arms just as Jim walked by their pew.  
  
"Jim," she said. He slowly stopped as if he was slowly getting the words into his brain. Liz untangled herself from Max and gave the protective retired Sheriff a hug. Jim returned it grateful that someone else realized that he had indeed loved Maria. Liz finally let him go and Jim went back to his distraught sobbing wife that Kyle and Tess had been trying to calm down. Moment's earlier Michael had ascended the stairs and was now starting his speech.  
  
"She was my singing bird. She was always singing to herself.especially after I bought her that guitar," Michael said smiling slightly to himself, "times were different then.we drifted apart though we tried not to."  
  
Kyle and Tess exchanged a look that said it all. He hadn't done anything to help the relationship. She had always done all the work later in their relationship. He had always assumed she would be there.  
  
Tess had become closer to both Maria and Liz after she and Max discovered that they weren't meant to be together. Regardless of what the book said. They both had people they loved very much. Max had Liz who he's always loved and Tess had Kyle. Their love had grown slowly. The girls had become sisters of a sort. Recently Tess had gone into seclusion to come with terms with her life. Everyone had encouraged and supported her decision to do that. They understood that she'd never really had time to do that growing up and that now she needed to do that. She had come to the conclusion of announcing her decision she'd come to in seclusion after Isabel's wedding so as to not disturb the joyous occasion. But she had changed her mind when she had received word of Maria and her death. She figured it would be better for them to get over all their sadness in one fell swoop.  
  
Kyle silently cried and tried to comfort his stepmother that he'd grown to love. His dad and her was a perfect match. They complimented each other more then they could ever realize. But Maria's death would be a trial he was sure Amy would never come out of. She would never be the same.or even close to the same as before. Even after he asked Tess to marry him. Even that joy would be shadowed with sadness. She would never see her own daughter walk down the aisle. Kyle had bought the ring while away at work in Boston. He had brought it with him. He still couldn't figure out why he had. Now was not the time. It was a time to grieve not propose to someone.but he had still brought it with him. He had seen Tess shortly after he had gotten back into town. They had fallen back into their normal pattern. He loved that fact that they were comfortable with each other even when they were apart. Kyle was starting to drift down memory lane. Trying to remember every happy moment him and Maria had shared trying to lose his sadness in the memories. Tess's elbow in his side brought him back to the present though.  
  
"You're up," she whispered to him. He nodded and got up and went up the stairs.  
  
"She was my step-sister but I never thought of her that way. I always thought of her as my sister. A dearly loved sister. I remember the first few weeks when her and Amy moved in. Things weren't too.comfortable. I don't think she liked the fact that her mom had married mine. I know I wasn't happy about my dad marrying her mom! But eventually we started talking. Slowly at first but it increased. We'd talk about anything. Just trying to get used to the fact of living in the same house. Eventually.after a few months at least! The house started feeling like a family. We were all closer then before. Because we tried. We wanted our parents to be happy. We were still as close when we went off to college. I remember my first weekend away."  
  
Liz smiled in spite of herself. She remembered hearing about them from Maria. She could tell that Kyle was desperately trying not to cry. But she knew he would inevitably start crying.just by being faced with all those memories of Maria.  
  
".Maria started coming to me or sending her stuff when she wanted an opinion outside her music friends. She always wanted me to listen to her stuff and give her advice on how to make it better. At first I didn't believe that she wanted MY opinion on her stuff. Then I realized she really did.I still have her tapes she sent me when I was off at college.I really wish Alex HAD been able to get her a deal. The world would have fallen in love with her like the rest of us have," Kyle finished and stepped down. Tess hugged him fiercely and kissed him on the cheek. She watched as he went back to their seat then she herself went up the stairs to give her final good-bye to her friend.her sister.  
  
"I'd like to say Maria and me got along from the very beginning.but that would be a lie. Maybe at sometime in my life I would lie.but she taught me that sometimes to honor someone or something the truth is better.no matter how painful or ugly it is. We hated each other really. I was a threat to her best friend's relationship. Eventually I DID date Max but well everyone knows how THAT turned out," Tess said smiling a little, at the memories that were surfacing, "After our differences were settled Maria, Liz, and I became good friends. More like sisters then anything else. We called each other all the time just to hear the other person's voice. I was never as close as Liz and her were but we were still close."  
  
Max had been surprised she had even mentioned the fact that they had dated. They usually kept that in the background but then he realized what she was doing. Making them remember the real Maria.not the sugar coated version. She made them remember the times of danger true but they were also the best times of their lives.  
  
".those were the best times of my life. Things changed over time but we still remained close.we still remained sisters. I miss her terribly and I loved her."  
  
Tess stepped down and when she sat down next to Kyle and his family she let her tears come. Kyle pulled her into his arms and let her cry herself out.  
  
The entire group was listening to the priest finish the service with only half an ear. Lost in their own thoughts and worries over the others in the group. Most were lost in the past reliving when the threat of the Skins was real and ever present but so was their true friends before they were corrupted. As the priest concluded the service and people filtered out of the church the group came back to the painful present. They gripped their beloveds as though they were afraid they to would disappear out of their arms and lives. Michael was the only one still sitting in his pew as the others left the church. The last look everyone had was of Michael with his head down crying. 


	3. The suprise

Kyle and Tess had been sitting in Tess's hotel room for the past twenty minutes in silence. Tess finally decided to tell her the decision she had made in seclusion. She cleared her throat and felt bad when Kyle jumped in his seat.  
  
"I've.I've decided to leave."  
  
"What!?!"  
  
"I need some time to find myself.I know I said I was doing that."  
  
"But."  
  
"But what?" Tess asked a bit harshly expecting some stupid response.  
  
Kyle looked away for a second feling bad about Tess leaving him then sad about Maria's death. He looked back at her.  
  
"I love you.I need you.I'll help you however I can. I mean I was going to ask you to marry me! I thought you loved me as much as I love you." Kyle said his voice trailing off.  
  
"I do," Tess said quietly.  
  
"Then why do you need to leave?" Kyle asked desperately.  
  
"Because.because I don't think your parents could deal." Tess stopped unable to continue. Kyle sensed that she was upset about something besides Maria. But he needed to know why she was leaving him.  
  
"Deal with what Tess?" Kyle asked as gently as possible.  
  
"Deal.deal with a.a. baby especially now that.Maria died and all."  
  
Tess had continued to babble a trait that Kyle noticed she had picked up from Maria. He couldn't seem to get the idea of a baby through to his brain.a baby.Kyle finally interuppted the babbling Tess.  
  
"Is it mine?" Kyle asked remembering the last time they had seen each other. They had been enoying their visit so much. It just seemed like the next logical step. That trip was when Kyle realized he needed and loved Tess. That was when he decided that he wanted Tess in his life forever as his wife. Klye was so deep in thought about how much he loved Tess that he almost missed her nodding yes to his question. Soon after she burst into noisy tears that drenched her face and shirt.  
  
"How long have you known?" Kyle asked in a quiet voice fearing that Tess might get spooked and stop talking when they needed to get all the information out in the open.  
  
"About a month," Tess said swallowing a hiccup.  
  
"How far along are you?" Kyle asked  
  
"About.about three months I think," Tess answered and Kyle subconciously double checked the numbers against when they had had sex. He didn't really mean to but it happened as if somewhere inside him he didn't want the child. He squashed that thought as soon as it rose to the surface. He wanted.needed that child almost more then he needed Tess. He felt slightly guilty over that but he signed it off as coming from the fact that he had just lost his sister and needed someone that was his blood.or like his blood. He corrected himself mentally. He shook himself to pay attention to what Tess was saying.  
  
"Are you even paying attention?"  
  
"I'm sorry, it's just me trying to adjust to the fact of being a father. I'm listening now. I'm really sorry." Kyle said really feeling bad. Tess just nodded her head and started over.  
  
"I'm about three months pregnant as far as I can tell. But.being an alien.a hybrid I mean I don't know how long the pregnancy will be.but that's not the only thing I'm worried about.I worried about your parents reaction.I mean you have so much ahead of you to have a burden."  
  
Tess was about to continue when Kyle interuppted.  
  
"First off you're NOT a burden.to anyone. Second of all my parents will be thrilled.for the most part. They probably won't like the fact that we're not married when we um.created the baby.but they'll get over it. I promise. Mom'll be out of it for awhile so I don't really know how she'll react." Kyle said his voice trailing off remembering why his mom was soo sad and disfunctional at the moment. Tess mis-took Kyle trailing off to mean the worst and started to cry again.  
  
"Tess, baby, please don't cry. Amy's just sad and upset about losing Maria.we all are.she's just taking it the hardest and I don't know how she'll react to our news. That's all really." Kyle said trying to make Tess believe it wasn't her that was causing the problems or the silence. Tess was starting to regret telling Kyle her news. It was causing problems.big problems in his life. He didn't need those things in his life. She desperately wanted a place to call her hone. She'd never had a place that she'd stayed in long enough to call it home. Roswell had felt like home.but now.now she wasn't so sure. Tess broke the silence finally in a small voice.  
  
"I'm scared."  
  
"I'm scared too.I'm scared too." Kyle murmered to Tess trying to calm her down again. They lapsed into silence again. When Tess shivered slightly Kyle got out of his chair and picked up his jacket from the table. As he picked it up Maria's last tape wrapped in a letter the way it usually was fell out along with the ring box containing the engagement ring Kyle had bought for Tess. Kyle had gotten the tape a week earlier and hadn't had a chance to listen to it or read the letter. He put the tape back up on the table along with all the other things he'd pulled out of his suitcase earlier. He walked over to Tess and gently wrapped the coat around her. She greatfully took it and wrapped it tighter around herself. Kyle kneeled in front of her.  
  
"I was going to do this during.a well happier time but.it seems almost like a better time to do it now," Kyle said nervously he cleared his throat self conciously then continued, "Tess Harding, will you marry me?" Kyle asked holding his breath. Hoping she would say yes for both of their sakes.  
  
"Are you sure you're doing the right thing? I mean this could ruin your WHOLE life.I don't want to be in the way of you if you're not sure." Tess said nervously but also convinced that he needed to think about what he was doing.  
  
"I love you Tess, I want to spend forever with you. I KNOW in my heart, my soul. I'm doing the right thing asking you to marry me. I don't have to think about it. I've spent months thinking about it." Kyle answered passionately.  
  
"Then I say yes. Yes I'll marry you," Tess answered kissing Kyle and trying to smile at the same time.  
  
"So you won't dissappear off into the night now?"  
  
"Buddha Boy I'm not going anywhere."  
  
Kyle grinned at the fact that Tess used his high school nickname.  
  
"We'll have to think of a nickname for you," Kyle said teasing Tess. Tess ignored him and continued what she was saying.  
  
"The only request I have for the wedding is that it be non- denominational that way at least everyone will be able to come without them being offended somehow."  
  
"Whatever you say or want," Kyle said and impulsively kissed Tess's stomach. Tess jolted slightly and her smile widened even more. Kyle slipped the 3 karat diamond ring onto Tess's finger.  
  
"I saw this in the jewler's window and it called to me."  
  
"It's beautiful." Tess said kissing him again. Things would have continued and most likely gone further except for a knock at the door of the room. Kyle looked questioningly at Tess asking in a look if she was expecting anyone and she shook her head no and shrugged a little. He walked to the door and opened it. There stood Alex, Isabel, Liz, and Max.  
  
"Umm.I guess come in. It's not really my room. I move in to my room tomorrow," Kyle said akwardly gesturing them in to the room. They came in and found places to sit in various places around the room. When everyone had found a place and settled Max spoke up.  
  
"We think it was Michael."  
  
"Excuse me?" Tess asked confused as to what he was talking about.  
  
"We think that Michael was the main cause for.Maria.killing herself," Isabel said. She seemed to be the most collected of the group. 


	4. The truth is heard

There had been a silence when the accusation finally got through to Tess and Kyle. Then Tess said quietly,  
  
"I thought I was the only one..."  
  
"To what? Think that it's Michael's fault? Hardly!" Max said harshly. It had astounded them when they had first heard him say that. Michael was supposed to be his best friend…but then he never liked the thought of people being hurt by others. Tess winced slightly. Kyle took her hand and gave it a squeeze.  
  
"We should probably compile all the evidence against him in one place…I'm going to have an empty suitcase soon…we can use that I guess," Kyle said trying to remember what his dad did when he had a case. He gathered evidence, looked at it from every angle, thought of every conceivable theory. Around the room they nodded their heads in agreement. Isabel sitting next to the table idly played with Maria's last tape not realizing what it was. Kyle was about to snap at Isabel when he realized what it was.  
  
"That's it!" he exclaimed.  
  
"That's what?" Tess asked. Kyle ignored her and got up to take the tape from Isabel. The tape was wrapped in a letter as it usually was. He started reading the letter then backed up and started over, reading the letter out loud this time.  
  
"Dear Kyle,  
  
How's college life in Boston going? Hopefully better then my life back here in Roswell. I seem to be trying to fail 'Music Theory' but I always seem to scrape by at the important. You'd better come to my graduation like you promised! Let's see…life in Roswell (as you always request), last I heard Mom and Dad are screwing each other WAY to often for their age. Liz is living in Fairytale Land with Max most days while Isabel is attempting to run Alex into the ground with all the 'errands' she requests of him. But then he also seems to be floating in the air with all the love they share. Last but not least is Michael, wish I could say that the fights are less…but, that would be lying. The fights are actually worse now, they leave bruises…bruises on my soul. He's become completely obsessed with finding his home and I worry that if he does find out how to go home he'll leave me here without his love. I still can't see how I can love a man like Michael, he's killing me, but somehow I love him too much to NOT go running back to him."  
  
"It doesn't stop there but the rest is just chit chat and continuing subjects that we've…we'd been having. Well actually at the bottom it says that the songs aren't like they normally are…anybody got a tape player or where we can get a tape player?'  
  
"There's one in the Jeep if you don't mind our stuff still sitting in there," Max said wanting to hear the tape more then ever. He lead them to his Jeep and Kyle handed over the tape. While Max engaged the engine to play the tape the rest of them were climbing in and trying to find comfortable seats. Liz sat in the passenger seat in front while Isabel and Alex sat in an uninhabited spot in the back seat. Tess sat on Kyle's lap in the last available space in the Jeep. It was crowded in there but no one seemed to notice all intent on hearing the tape. When the engine finally engaged Max pushed the tape in and a few seconds later Maria's clear, sweet voice poured from the speakers.  
  
1 "I can't stop thinking about cutting myself up  
  
Visual bruises can be covered in makeup  
  
But down to the core I'm all bruises.  
  
My little whore gives these excuses.  
  
How can this, be rationalized  
  
Your brain has programmed, all of those lies.  
  
What do you tell yourself, about our situation?  
  
How can you look at yourself without having some sort of revelation?  
  
How do you live with yourself?  
  
How could you possibly hurt someone like myself?  
  
The saddest part is, I would take u back.  
  
You've turned me into some spineless hypochondriac.  
  
Now tend to every last emotion  
  
I'm so caught in this I cannot grasp its hazed proportion.  
  
All right now I'll be fair  
  
I'll just pull you by your hair  
  
I'll just kick you from time to time  
  
And then I'll love you in the meantime.  
  
It will be just like before  
  
I'll be your girl, you'll be my whore.  
  
I am not an angry child  
  
I don't run hot nor mild  
  
But for some reason when it comes to you  
  
I smile at the thought of hitting you  
  
I smile at the thought of watching you die.  
  
I strive off the image of making you cry  
  
I feed of the feeling of having you need  
  
I lick the illusion, of watching you bleed." 


End file.
